A dramatic twist shook up the order in Chile. Oliver Solberg seized his opportunity. Suddenly, the fight for the World Championship title is wide open.
Oliver Solberg led for most of Rally Chile and managed to keep his rivals behind him all the way to the finish.
The result became even more valuable when World Championship leader Elfyn Evans suffered a puncture on Sunday.
Just 21 points now separate Evans and Solberg with two rallies remaining.
Oliver Solberg delivers tactical masterclass
Solberg took control on Friday. The start was an acknowledgement that his form was back after the back problems that worried him earlier in the autumn. He won several stages and gradually built a gap over the chasing drivers.
Nine time world champion Sébastien Ogier put the Swede under pressure on Saturday. Solberg responded by increasing his pace when it mattered and began the final day with a lead of 19.1 seconds.
Sunday was largely about managing the advantage and avoiding mistakes. Solberg completed the task and secured his third victory in the top category of the World Rally Championship.
“At last, at last I could focus on my own performance, and I had that little bit of luck you need,” a delighted Oliver Solberg said after reaching the finish.
He celebrated alongside his fiancée Chloe and his father Petter Solberg.
Puncture proves costly for Evans
Elfyn Evans held second place for much of the rally and appeared set to protect a large part of his World Championship lead.
However, the Briton suffered a puncture on the penultimate stage. Evans was forced to stop and change the wheel, costing him around two minutes.
He dropped from second to fifth place. The incident also ended his chances of scoring points in the separate Super Sunday classification.
Sébastien Ogier moved up to second place, while Adrien Fourmaux finished third and Sami Pajari climbed to fourth.
Solberg wins the final Power Stage
Solberg also needed a strong result on the Power Stage to gain as many points as possible on Evans.
Evans had set the fastest time when Solberg started the stage as the last of the leading drivers. The Swede was 0.4 seconds ahead at the first split. By the finish, his advantage had increased to half a second.
Solberg won the Power Stage and showed that he could produce maximum speed despite the pressure of leading the rally.
Sébastien Ogier scored the most points on Super Sunday, with Solberg finishing second.
Oliver Solberg collected 34 of the 35 points available in Chile. He gained 20 points on Evans during a single World Championship weekend.
Three drivers fighting for the title
With two rallies remaining, Elfyn Evans leads the drivers’ championship with 230 points. Sami Pajari is second on 213, while Oliver Solberg follows closely on 209.
Only four points separate Pajari and Solberg. Evans leads Pajari by 17 points and Solberg by 21.
Sébastien Ogier is fourth with 171 points and retains only a mathematical chance of winning the championship.
Toyota also secured the manufacturers’ championship in Chile. It was the company’s tenth title, drawing Toyota level with Lancia in World Rally Championship history.
Calle Carlberg taken to hospital
The rally ended on a much more difficult note for Sweden’s Calle Carlberg, who was chasing the Junior World Rally Championship title.
Carlberg and co-driver Jörgen Eriksen crashed on Saturday and were taken to hospital for medical checks. According to the team, Eriksen suffered a severe concussion. Carlberg remained in hospital after doctors discovered air pockets in his lungs.
“Everything still seems to be fine. It was the biggest crash of my career at the worst possible moment, when we were fighting for the Junior World Rally Championship title. But I would rather give everything than stand there on Sunday knowing I had not tried,” Carlberg said from hospital.
World Championship standings after Rally Chile
- Elfyn Evans, 230 points
- Sami Pajari, 213
- Oliver Solberg, 209
- Sébastien Ogier, 171
- Adrien Fourmaux, 167
- Takamoto Katsuta, 163
- Thierry Neuville, 129
Source: WRC.com
The next round is Rally Italia Sardegna from 1 to 4 October. The season concludes with Rally Saudi Arabia from 12 to 15 November.
